Up Helly Aa – top tips for enjoying Shetland’s festival of fire

Throughout Shetland, from January to March, the islands celebrate the festival of Up Helly Aa, with 12 Fire Festival and Up Helly Aa celebrations punctuating the darkness of winter with fiery processions, Viking dress and the world-renowned all-night parties that follow the burning of a Viking longship. Find out what’s on for 2023 in this blog.

Of these, the largest and most well-known is the Lerwick Up Helly Aa, which takes place on the last Tuesday of January. With the festival just around the corner, you can feel the town’s excitement growing as people prepare for what is, to some, the social event of the year.

Up Helly Aa’s roots can be found in the 19th-century tradition of ‘tar-barrelling’, a practice which saw the town’s young men rolling burning barrels of tar through the narrow streets of Lerwick throughout the festival of Yule, a 24-day celebration of winter that began at midwinter.

Despite what is often believed, it is not an ancient festival passed down from our Viking and Norse times but a celebration with its roots firmly embedded in Victorian Shetland, and like any proper Victorian soiree, theatrical pomp and ceremony were allowed to flow unbridled.

more about the history of up helly aa can be found here

With mounting safety concerns, tar-barrelling was banned, and 1876 saw the first organised procession. Today Up Helly Aa is the biggest festival of the year, managed by a dedicated team of committee members who ensure the festival runs smoothly and safely.

The festivities last for 24 hours, attracting thousands of visitors each year. A torchlit procession, led by the Guizer Jarl (chief Viking), weaves its way around the streets of Lerwick with over 1,000 men carrying burning torches. Following the parade, the guizers or squads (as participants are known) throw their burning torches into a replica Viking longship and sing the Norseman’s Home. The atmosphere during the procession is electric as street lights are extinguished, and spellbound spectators throng the streets, jostling for the best view. As the town glows under the light of the burning torches, the smell of paraffin and smoke permeates everything, and the rousing cheers echo around the buildings into the cold night sky.

Houses glowing from the light of flaming torches at the Up Helly Aa procession (2019)

After the ceremonial burning, a night of celebration commences as around a dozen public halls open their doors to welcome the squads (or groups) of guizers who perform a sketch or dance for the crowds. These are private, ticketed parties, and those attending must get an invite from one of the venue’s hosts or hostesses who organise the after-party. With impressive spreads of soup, sandwiches and home bakes, everyone remains well-fuelled, ensuring they can dance right into the next day.

During these 24 hours, the town’s rule is handed over by the police to the Guizer Jarl, and the Town Hall proudly flies the Raven Banner flag.

For many, Up Helly Aa is the highlight of Shetland’s social calendar, and it’s no surprise that the day after Up Helly Aa is a public holiday.

Up Helly Aa and Fire Festival dates:

Scalloway Fire Festival – (Second Friday of January) 12th January 2024

Lerwick Up Helly Aa – (Last Tuesday of January) 30th January 2024
Lerwick Junior Up Helly Aa – (Last Tuesday of January) 30th January 2024
Nesting & Girlsta Up Helly Aa – (10 days after Lerwick festival) 9th February 2024
Uyeasound Up Helly Aa – (Second Friday of February) 16th February 2024
Northmavine Up Helly Aa – (Third Friday of February) 16th February 2024
Cullivoe Up Helly Aa – (Last Friday of February) 23rd February 2024
Norwick Up Helly Aa – (Last Saturday of February) 24th February 2024
Bressay Up Helly Aa – (Last Friday of February) 1st March 2024
South Mainland Up Helly Aa – (Second Friday of March) 8th March 2024
Delting Up Helly Aa – (Usually Third Friday of March) 15th March 2024

Top tips for enjoying Lerwick Up Helly Aa:

The Jarl Squad Timetable provides all the key timings for the event. If you check this, you’ll know where to see them and when on the day.

Check out the Up Helly Aa Bill at the Market Cross for a tongue-in-cheek, satirical look at events in the community over the past year. The Bill is available from 6 am on Tuesday until 5 pm.

0900 – muster at the Lerwick Legion and follow the Jarl Squad as they march towards the Esplanade in the centre of town with the galley. This allows for some fantastic pictures and the opportunity to see the costumes in the daylight. The galley remains here, beside the Bressay Ferry Terminal, until 6 pm.

Visit Shetland Museum & Archives from around 3 pm when the Jarl Squad visit, allowing guests the opportunity to meet some of the guisers. Please arrive in plenty of time as the museum is packed when they visit! (please note that this is a ticketed event and tickets usually go on sale a week or so before. Check their website for details)

For a great view of a galley burning, attend the Junior Procession (5.30 pm) before the main parade. Fewer people turn out for this, so you’re assured a good view of proceedings.

1930 – The procession light up happens at 7.30, but to ensure a good view, arrive in plenty of time to secure a spot close to the Burning Site.

Hall tickets/invites are generally reserved for locals; however, they can sometimes be found for visitors to Shetland. If you are looking for tickets for the halls, contact the Tourist Office, who may be able to source ones, or keep an eye on the local press as tickets become available throughout the day.

You DO NOT need a ticket/invite to attend the procession, only the after-parties.

Burning the Galley at Lerwick Up Helly Aa (2019)

Other events for Up Helly Aa:

Fiery Sessions at the Garrison Theatre showcases Shetland’s musical talent on Up Helly Aa Day. There are two sessions available to book here.

Scalloway Museum will be open to visitors throughout Up Helly Aa week (check their website for opening times)

*Please note that the day after Up Helly Aa (Wednesday) is a public holiday. Many businesses remain closed, including town supermarkets and public transport links.

For those unable to attend the festival, a live stream can be accessed via www.shetlandwebcams.com.

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